The death of a 10-year-old boy when his motorcycle and a
Nissan sports utility vehicle collided on a Duntroon farm in
2008 was "an outcome of a number of, in themselves, innocuous
events", Dunedin coroner David Crerar has said.
Mr Crerar carried out an inquest on November 27 last year in
the Oamaru Coroner's Court into the death on October 6, 2008,
of Matthew James Richardson at his parents' dairy farm.
Yesterday, Mr Crerar released a final finding on the death.
In it, he said Matthew died as a result of injuries received
when the motorcycle he was riding collided with an SUV being
driven by a farm employee.
The employee, William Bronkhorst, had started work on the
farm the day before the fatal crash.
He was driving on a farm track and Matthew was coming in the
opposite direction.
At the brow of the hill, the two vehicles collided.
Despite attempts by his parents, Andrew and Barbara
Richardson, to revive Matthew, he died at the scene.
Mr Richardson told the inquiry that Matthew had been taught
to ride carefully and keep as far left as possible, even on
farm tracks.
Mr Bronkhorst said he was travelling "close to 20kmh and not
more than 30kmh" and to the left of the track.
However, evidence provided by police to the inquiry estimated
his speed at between 33kmh and 44kmh.
Mr Crerar said there was no evidence that either Matthew or
Mr Bronkhorst was driving in an unsafe manner or carelessly.
Matthew was travelling "slowly and conservatively".
Mr Crerar made no comment on the discrepancy between Mr
Bronkhorst's account of how fast he was travelling and the
police estimate other than to say the police calculation was
higher than Mr Bronkhorst's estimate.
However, he did say photographs and maps produced by police
all indicated Mr Bronkhorst was "slightly to the right of
centre of the track as he braked" and stopped.
When he hit Matthew's motorcycle he was almost exactly in the
middle of the track.
Mr Crerar recommended a copy of his finding be sent to the
Department of Labour to assist in the analysis of farm
deaths, particularly those involving motorcycles.
